Mercury

myminifactory

This statue was made for the Venetian diplomat and collector Marcantonio Michiel. It derives from a classical prototype, but the insertion of a plaque showing the motions of the planet Mercury on 15 June 1527 is unusual. The plaque suggests Michiel's identification with the god of eloquence and commerce. The significance of the date is obscure.  It is inscribed in Latin with the name of the patron and the dates of commencement and completion.